Time switch



C. E. SMlTH TIME SWITCH Jan. 14, 1930.

Filed April 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet TIME SWITCH Filed April 23, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I J '1. Eo I 52 44 O- i?! 58 O 56 Charla; E. Smz'zfz Patented 14, 1930 Unit's stares FATE? GFFEQLE.

CHARLES E. SMITH, OF VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, ASSIGNbR T UNIVERSAL TIME SWITCH COMPANY LIMITED, (3F VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA,

CAN ADA TIME SWITCH Application filed April 23 This invention relates to the correlation of electric switch mechanism with the driving mechanism of an ordinary clock or time piece whereby electrical contacts may be made or broken at any desired instant of time, the control of the operations, once the mechanism is set, being entirely automatic.

The object of the invention is to provide a convenient, accurate, and entirely reliable means of automatically closing or opening an electrical switch or contact, at a specified time, and thus obtaining any of the results which can be made contingent on this operation, such as the stopping or starting of machinery, the

illumination, dimming or extinguishing of lights in a room or a building, the sounding of alarm bells, etc.

The invention consists of the attachment to the driving mechanism of an ordinary clock of a time drum which rotates once in twenty-four hours, or at half the angular velocity of the hour hand of the clock. To this drum are adjustably secured on or a plurality of cam plates shaped so as to actuate a similar number of pawls, which in turn, act upon the same number of switch drums. These switch drums are so arranged that the motion imparted to them by the cams causes each of them to make or break the contact of an electric circuit, thus 0 putting the actuation of such circuit under the control of the clock.

The invention is more clearly described in the following specification and drawings which form part of same, and in which:

Figure 1 is a back view of the clock frame with the device attached thereto, and the method of driving same indicated.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same.

Figure 3 is a back View, to a larger scale, of the time drum, switch gear and the connecting pawls.

Figure 4 is a side view taken in the direction marked A in Fig. 3, showing the parts in section to elucidate the construction.

Figure 5 is a side view of same taken in the direction marked B, and illustrating the connecting ratchets and pawls, by which motion is communicated from the time drum to 59 the switch,

, 1928. Serial No. 272,193.

Figure 6 is a plan of the switch drums, showlng the contact SPIHG'Q.

F i ure 8 is a dia ram showin the a )olib t) b 1 cation of the device to the operation of a lamp lighting circuit in which lights are r quired to be automatically lit or extinguished, or brightened or dimmed at any specified hour.

In these drawings the ordinary clock driving mechanism is indicated in Fig. 1 by the wheels 10, 11, 12, 13. 14, 15. To the arbor of wheel 15 is secured the minute hand of the clock, represented by M, and the hour hand H is driven by the usual reduction gear therefrom, so that it rotates at one-twelfth of the angular velocity of M. The spring which produces the motive power for the clock is indicated at 16, the spring being anchored at 17.

A time drum indicated at 18 in Figs. 1 and 3, and by 18, 28 and 29 in Figs. 2 and 4: is mounted upon the arbor 19 which is parallel to the other arbors in the clock train and which is connected with the clock train wheel 13 through the wheels 20 and 21, the tooth members of these wheels being so arranged that the drum 18 rotates at half the angular velocity of the hour hand H, or once in twenty-tour hours.

The extra driving power required for the attachment is provided by the spring 22 which is anchored at 23 and is connected by the wheels 24, 25, 26, 27 to the arbor 19 of tl e time drum 18. The rate of movement of the mechanism of the clock and also of the time drum is thus under the control of the clock escape: ment wheels, so that the time drum rotates uniformly at half the angular velocity of the hour hand H.

The time drum indicated generally at 18 is constructed of a plurality of cylindrical portions 18, 28, 29 mounted upon the arbor l9, and one of which, marked 28, is divided on its periphery into marked spaces representing hours or any smaller divisions of time desired.

The inner cylinder 29 is secured to the arbor, and the other cylinders slide on teat-hers, removable for the purpose of inserting the cam plates 30, which fit over the arbor belfl tween the cylinders and are tightened up and clamped to the drum by means of the nut 31. These cam plates are made circular in outline except where projections 32 are formed upon them. its many earn plates as are desired can be assembled on the time .drum 18 and set so that tieir projections correspond in' position with any desired time division upon the cylincler 28.

Mounted rotatably upon a pin 33projecting from the clock frame 34 are a plurality of pawls 35. These pawls normally restupon the cylindrical surface of the cam plates but are tipped up by the projections 32as the time drum rotates.

Pivoted to the outer ends of the pawl levers 35 are the pawls 36, which engage the ratchet teeth 37 formed on the peripheryo'f the switch drums 38,'and the motion of the pawl levers 35, under the action of the camprojections 32, is thus transmitted .to the switch drums 38, any retrograde rotation otthe latter being prevented by holding pawls 39 whichare piv oted upon a pin projecting from the plate 34 and-provided for this purpose.

The timing drum 18, switclrdrum 38 and awls are shown enlarged in Figs. 3 and 4 in order principally to show the internal arrangement of the switch drums. The latter are revoivably mounted upon a fixedarbor 40, the latter being secured in an insulating block 41, which is in turn secured to the back frame plate 34.

The switch drums of which two are shown) are of non-conducting material, and have each a set of ratchet teeth 37 cut upon their peripheries. Th re is one driving pawl 36 and one holding pawl 39 engaged with each drum ratchet. A tension spring 42 connects the pawls 36 and 39 and by its reactions keeps both pawls in engagement. A fiat metal contacting ring 43 is mounted on the reverse or back face of each or" the drums 38 and makes electrical contact with one of the terminals 44 bv means of the flexible springs 56.

in each switch drum are mounted rigioiupon the fixed pin a pair of similar toothed wheels 45 and 46, the wheel 45 being made of insulating material whilst the wheel 46 is made of brass or other conducting material. The wheels 46 are thus in electrical contact with the pin 40, and thus with the terminal 48 thereon. The teeth of the wheels 45 and 46 are staggered so that when viewed as in Fig. 3 the teeth belong alternately to the heels 45 and 46, or in other words are alternately made of insulating or conducting ma terial.

A li ht curved spring 47 is mounted upon the interior of each switch drum 38 and is in electrical contact with the flat circular ring on the back of the drum. This spring is arranged to lie upon the tips of the teeth of the wheels 45 and 46. When in contact with a tooth of 46, electrical contact is made he tween the terminals 44 and 48, thus closing any electrical circuit run through these two terminals. When the spring is in contact with a tooth of wheel 45, the circuit is broken, as the wheel 45 is made o1 insulating material.

The movement of the switch drum 38- under the action of the pawl 37 is thus arranged to cause the spring 47 to slip from tooth to tooth r" the wheels 45 and 46 and thus to alternately make or break the electricalcircuit through the terminals 44 and 48 at each movement of the switch drum. As many switch drums as desired can be assembled upon the pin 40,

eaclrhaving a set of pawls 35, 36, and 39 and a cam plate 30 mounted on the time drum 18, andthus any number of circuits can be controlled from the one clock. The terminals 44 and the springs 56 are mounted upon an insulating block50, which is made'wide enough to serve all the switch drums mounted upon the pin 40.

The operation of the device is carried out by connecting the ends of an electrical circuit to the terminals 44 and 48 respectivel then setting and clamping a cam plate 30 so that its projecting surface 32 is opposite any desired hour or time instant as shown on the time drum cylinder 28. The switch drum 38can be moved around by the finger so that the spring 47 may lie in contact with an insulating or conducting tooth on the wheels 45 and 46, thus leaving the circuit closed or open as desired. The motion of the clock will then automatically operate the pawl 35 at the required time, and change the contact of the spring 47, thus opening or closing the electrical circuit at that time.

As an illustration Figure 7 indicates an electric circuit energizing a set of lamps 52 with a resistance 53 so arranged-that by open ing the switch 54 the resistance can be cut in and the lamps 52 dimmed. The switch 55 is the main control switch of the circuit. By connecting such a circuit up to the device so that one of the switch drums is substituted for the switch 54, and the other substituted for the switch 55, the operation of lighting or extinguishing the lamps 52 or of brightening or dimming them can be performed automatically by the clock mechanism at any desired time.

Having now fully described my invention, What I claim and desire to be protected in by Letters Patent, is: v i

1. A time switch comprising, a clock mechanism actuating a spindle to make one revolution per twenty-four hours, a cam carried by said spindle and angularly adjustable thereto and thereon whereby the position of said cam relative to any portion of the twenty -four hours may be instantly secured, means for opening or closing an electric circuit by the actuation of said cam, a ratchetwheel carrying a resilient contacting member adapted to open or close an electric circuit,

pivotal members engaging said cam and said ratchet wheel whereby the latter is moved circumferentially.

2. A time switch comprising, a clock mechanism actuating a spindle to make one revolution per twenty-four hours, a cam carried by said spindle and angularly adjustable thereto and thereon whereby the position of said cam relative to any portion of the twentyfour hours may be instantly secured, means for opening or closing an electric circuit by the actuation of said cam, a ratchet wheel carrying a resilient contacting member adapted to open or close an electric circuit, a pair of similar toothed wheels mounted in axial alignment with the said ratchet wheel,

one said wheel being of metal and in connection with one electric terminal and the body of the other being of insulating material and the two mounted together so that their teeth are respectively spaced in alternate order, and thus adapted to intermittently engage the said contacting member.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES E. SMITH. 

